I am under the impression that saw cuts on an album edge, or various punch holes, signifies the album was a freebie or promotional item or something. Am I wrong? If that's not what it signifies, then what is the meaning. The reason I ask is that I saw an MFSL with a saw cut in the edge, and was confused. That seemed to me an odd thing. Someone shine a light on this for me, please!

Ghog

As I understand it, the term is "cut-out"- meaning it was discounted for sale, not at normal retail price. Like drilling a hole through the bar code of a cd jewel case these days.

Tentoze is correct. I used to work at a record store in the 1980s. When we returned LPs due to lack of sales or LPs were pulled by the distributor, those LPs were "cut-out" and sold for pennies on the dollar to wholesalers.

We used to buy hundreds, if not thousands, of cut-outs from the wholesalers and sell them for a $1 each. We attracted a lot business with our cut-out bins. They were unopened LPs.

Promotional LPs were marked as "promotional" and they were usually already opened. The record labels sent us those and encouraged us to play them in the store. Sometimes promotional LPs came up with posters and other items to display in the store.

John

My Daughter won a complete Beatlles record collection from WLS in Chicago ,every album had a hole ponched in the corner,, I also recieved a Promo Osibisa album from a DJ from a radio station in Racine Wisc it had a hole punched in the corner and was also full of promo material on the band

Nothing wrong with them, The record company just over pressed and knocked them down in price to sell.
When I wa a kid there was a whole bin of Pink Floyd's "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" at the local discount store for $0.69 each with saw cuts in them.
Should have bought them all...................

My understanding is they were cut or drilled so they couldn't be returned for a full price refund or exchange.

Terry

The ritual disfiguring of LP sleeves was the customary practice for physically flagging discounted titles, but that practice was a quite unusual method of denoting the "promotional" status of an LP....even in Chicago....thank goodness.

An MFSL cutout!? That is something I have never seen, not even among the less desirable titles.

I got a "cut out" of Muddy Water's Folk Singer on MoFi several years ago. It was not only warped...it was bowl shaped to boot. They may be factory seconds.

I got a "cut out" of Muddy Water's Folk Singer on MoFi several years ago. It was not only warped...it was bowl shaped to boot. They may be factory seconds.

Lol - well, that amply explains the reason for one MFSL cutout -- and in this instance, of a terrifically good and desirable LP, too.

I am under the impression that saw cuts on an album edge, or various punch holes, signifies the album was a freebie or promotional item or something. Am I wrong? If that's not what it signifies, then what is the meaning. The reason I ask is that I saw an MFSL with a saw cut in the edge, and was confused. That seemed to me an odd thing. Someone shine a light on this for me, please!

Ghog

I worked in a record store while in college and our distributer called them the albums that "shipped gold, returned platinum."

I thought that the term "cut-out" referred to the record company deciding not to press anymore of that particular release, and that record stores would put them on clearance to get rid of them.

This particular one was a two record set, and the records were perfect ecxept for track one side one, which has a pretty small but bad scuff. Didn't get to hear it to see how bad it was. Anyway, I was just intrigued by it being a "cut out" and MFSL at the same time.

Celt, was that wrped mofi new, or did you get it used?

Thanks all for the response and for setting me straight on this.

Ghog

Book sellers do the same thing, cutting the corner off of a paperback's cover. Done by the manufacturer/distributor, it prevents dealers from selling discounted goods at new, and at the retail level, it prevents people returning cut-price goods for full-price refunds. It also keeps people who bought the same goods the day before at full price from complaining and wanting a refund; the bargain-buyers are getting (deliberately) damaged goods for their reduced price.

I have gotten a few unopened cutouts and have opened them (I mean what the hell, right?) on at least two occasions to find a badly warped record and once an off-center pressing. The warpage tells maybe these weren't always optimally stored. The off-center must have been a returned run. Sounds interesting though, on a junk tt. Like the James Gang on a Tilt-a Whirl.

Celt, was that wrped mofi new, or did you get it used? Ghog

New and sealed. Bought it online from Red Trumpet (since bought up by Music Direct).

I have gotten a few unopened cutouts and have opened them (I mean what the hell, right?) on at least two occasions to find a badly warped record and once an off-center pressing. The warpage tells maybe these weren't always optimally stored. The off-center must have been a returned run. Sounds interesting though, on a junk tt. Like the James Gang on a Tilt-a Whirl.

:lmao:

I've bought some cut-outs, no bad pressings yet. I think it's a great value - usually find them for less than $5 - 10, and get a still-sealed LP. :music: